There are casual gamers, but then there are also those gamers who seem to have godly skills when it comes to competitive games. I’ve always wondered what they have up their sleeves to show such skill (except for the fact that they play a lot more hours than I do) – but then that was before I knew that there were options to using a keyboard and mouse combination.

                                             Chopped up and grafted back together, the PGCU still looks cool.

The Saitek Pro gamer Command Unit, or PGCU from now on, follows in the footsteps of alternative-control devices like the old Microsoft Strategic commander and the Belkin Nostromo. These devices were designed to give the gamer a device that is primarily meant for gaming, not for productivity applications such as Word or Excel. In fact, such activities are impossible on these kind of deices, since they’re missing more than half the alphabet!

                                              Dedicated to productivity! No games possible with this.

Regardless, the number of keys the PGCU has borders on the “too many” – it has a total of 21 buttons, plus a hat switch / joystick designed for thumb actuation. It is designed for left-handed use, with the FPS-centric “WASD” keys front and center. Speaking of FPS’s, the PGCU has default configurations loaded for FPS and RTS titles, selectable through a “mode” button – red for FPS, green for RTS, and a blue option used for self-programmed profiles.

                                             The color coordination reflects the different game genres.

Programming on the unit is robust, with key sequences and macros easily defined on the supplied “SST” software. All the buttons are programmable, even the thumb-joystick, except for the 21^st button, since it is hard-coded to shift between two programmed configurations. The software goes as far as specifying the length of time the button is pressed down, and the intervals between the buttons programmed into a macro. With some clever programming, actions in games are reduced to a split-second, giving the edge to gamers in fast-moving game titles.

                                              Programming for dedicated gamers.

Physically, the PGCU looks like ¼ of a keyboard with the corresponding palm rest, with a small, adjustable “mouse” unit with the joystick plus two buttons on it grafted on. The main “keyboard” keys are angled away from you in a natural hands-down configuration, while four “function” buttons are angled towards you within easy reach. Three more buttons to the left can be pressed by your pinkie, while your thumb is set to work by the joystick and the two buttons. Although it is comfortable for me, the non-adjustable palm rest may be a bit awkward for those with bigger hands than mine.

                                              The thumb-joystick requires a little bit of dexterity to control along with three other buttons.

Aside from the functional design of the device, the “cool factor” design deserves special mention here. The three configuration sets adjustable through the “mode” switch coincides with the backlight color-selection of the PGCU. The keys themselves are painted silver, with clear plastic for the numbers , letters that let the backlight shine through for a hi-tech look. The palm rest also has a vertical LED – lighted strip, and the bottom edge of the device is clear plastic with a red led projecting “Saitek” onto your desk. The extending/tilting thumb-joystick is also another cool factor, although it primarily serves an ergonomic function.

                                              Every backlit gaming device assumes we play at night, in the dark.

This unit is definitely for someone looking for that extra edge over his/her competitors. It can’t be something picked up just for the fun of it, although the SRP of P2000 certainly precludes that. If you’re already used to a keyboard setup, then this device is definitely an acquired taste. As long as it is properly programmed and configured, and it becomes more comfortable for the user than a standard keyboard, then I say go for it, if you want to be something more than a casual gamer.